Dixon addresses USC speculation at his NCAA news conference

Wednesday, 20 March 2013 16:59

Written by Ray Fittipaldo

It’s an annual rite of spring. Another job in a major conference opens up and Jamie Dixon is mentioned as a prominent candidate.

USC fired Kevin O’Neill in January and there has been growing speculation since then that Dixon was the No. 1 target for USC athletic director Pat Haden.

During his news conference Thursday, Dixon was about his name being associated with the USC opening.

“I guess it’s the time of year,” he said. “We don’t talk about other jobs. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. We’re used to it, I guess. And it happens to everybody I think this time of the year and it’s speculation, I guess. So I don’t give it much thought.”

A reporter then asked a follow-up question about the speculation affecting his players and future recruits.

“You can’t keep them from talking about it,” Dixon said. “It’s out there, things are written, things are talked about. There are more and more blogs and writers, and it’s part of college basketball.

“There are so many other distractions that our kids, that we have to be concerned about. They have a lot of things going on. I think they know the task at hand. We can tell by their commitment and my commitment I think they’re pretty sure of what’s going on.”